Confederation (Poland–Lithuania)

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File:Tyszowiecka Confederation 1655.jpg
The swearing in of the Tyszowce Confederation in 1655, painting by Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski.

A konfederacja (Template:IPA, confederation, confederacy) was an ad hoc association formed by the nobility (szlachta), clergy, and municipalities to pursue their stated aims or act in place of state authority, created in Poland and Lithuania between the 13th and 19th centuries. A konfederacja often took the form of an armed union aimed at redressing perceived abuses or trespasses by some authority, such as the royal authority. These "confederations" acted in place of state authority or to force their demands upon that authority.<ref name=bardach/>

They could be seen as a primary expression of direct democracy and the right of revolution in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, allowing nobles to act on their grievances and against the central authority.<ref name=bardach/> Its origins can be traced back to medieval resistance law (Latin: ius resistendi) against the ruler. A characteristic feature of the confederation was named membership: the list of its members was drawn up at the time of its formation. Since the formation occurred for the realisation of a predetermined goal, the confederation was temporary.

History and function

In the late 13th century, confederations of municipalities began to appear, aiming to support public safety and provide security from rampant banditry. The first confederation was formed in 1298 by several municipalities, including Poznań, Pyzdry, Gniezno, and Kalisz in Greater Poland.<ref name="Jędruch1982-125-132"/>

Confederations composed solely of knights emerged in Poland during the second half of the 14th century, with the first such confederation being established in 1352.<ref name="Jędruch1982-125-132"/> They were convened to defend the nobles' liberties against central authority, the influence of the clergy, and the development of Hussitism. In 1307, in response to the formation of a confederation of nobles opposing the clergy's claims regarding tithes and jurisdiction, the clergy formed their own confederation.

In the years 1382 and 1384, inter-estate confederations (nobility and burghers) were convened in Radomsko to protect state security during the interregnum. During interregnums, confederations—essentially vigilance committees—were formed to replace the inactive royal court, protect internal order, and defend the state from external threats.<ref name=bardach/> The confederations, as a right of revolution, were recognized in Polish law through the Henrician articles (1573), part of the pacta conventa sworn by every Polish king since 1576.<ref name=bardach/><ref name=bardach2/> They stated (in the articulus de non praestanda oboedientia, a rule dating to 1501 from Privilege of Mielnik<ref name="LERSKI1996"/>) that if the monarch did not recognize or abused the rights and privileges of the nobility (szlachta), the nobles would no longer be bound to obey him and would have the legal right to disobey him.<ref name=bardach/><ref name="bardach2"/>

With the beginning of the 17th century, confederations became an increasingly significant element of the Commonwealth's political scene.<ref name="bardach"/> In the 17th and 18th centuries, confederations were organized by magnates, and were either pro- or anti-royal.<ref name=bardach/> A confederation not recognized by the king was considered a rokosz ("rebellion"), although some of the rokosz would be eventually recognized by the king, who could even join them himself.<ref name=bardach/> Most pro-royal confederations were usually formed as a response to an anti-royal one, and some would take the form of an extraordinary session of the parliament (sejm), as happened in 1710, 1717, and 1735.<ref name=bardach/>

Confederations were usually formed in one part of the country and could expand into "general confederations" taking in most or all of the voivodeships of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.<ref name=bardach/> However, even such general confederations would be formed separately for the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.<ref name=bardach/>

Each confederation had a key document explaining its goals, known as the act of the confederation, which was deposited with the court (usually the local court for the region where the confederation was formed).<ref name=bardach/> Additional resolutions of the confederates, known as sanctia, would also be deposited with the court.<ref name=bardach/> Membership of the confederation was voluntary and required an oath.<ref name=bardach/> The executive branch of a confederation was headed by a marshal, and a group of advisers, each known as konsyliarz konfederacji.<ref name=bardach/> A marshal and associated konsyliarze were known as a generality (generalność).<ref name=bardach/> A confederation would also have a larger council, similar to a parliament (walna rada), which made decisions by majority vote.<ref name=bardach/> Until around the mid-18th century, resolutions of the council had to be unanimous, but afterward, majority voting became more common.<ref name=bardach/> The chief military commanders of confederations were known as regimentarze.<ref name=bardach/>

Also in the 18th century an institution known as a "confederated sejm" evolved.<ref name=bardach/> It was a parliament session (Sejm) that operated under the rules of a confederation.<ref name=bardach/> Its primary purpose was to avoid being subject to disruption by the liberum veto, unlike the national Sejm, which was paralyzed by the veto during this period.<ref name=bardach/> On some occasions, a confederated sejm was formed from the whole membership of the national Sejm, so that the liberum veto would not operate there.<ref name="Jędruch1982-136-138"/>

Confederations were proscribed by law in 1717, but continued to operate, indicating a weakness of the Commonwealth's central authority.<ref name=bardach/> They were also abolished by the Constitution of May 3, 1791 (adopted by the Four-Year Sejm of 1788–1792, itself a confederated sejm).<ref name="Jędruch1982-178"/><ref name="Sanford"/> But in practice this prohibition was not observed. The May 3rd Constitution was overthrown in mid-1792, by the Targowica Confederation of Polish magnates backed by Russian Empire and eventually joined, under extreme duress, by King Stanisław II August.<ref name="Jędruch1982-184-185"/> The ensuing Russian military intervention led (to the Confederates' surprise) to the Second Partition of Poland in 1793.<ref name="Jędruch1982-184-185"/> In 1812 the General Confederation of the Kingdom of Poland was formed in Warsaw to Napoleon I's campaign against the Russian Empire.<ref name="Jędruch1982-136-138"/>

List of confederations

Some confederations from Polish history included:

See also

References

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